DNA Skincare For OMG Skin: Geneu

By Anna Van Der Heidjen

Many beauty brands claim to have found the perfect skincare formula for everyone. But lets be honest – no two skins are the exactly same, so and ideal skin solution that suits everyone doesn’t really exist. Even if you have an exact skin ‘type’ like oily skin for example, your exact needs will be different depending on your age, collagen levels, gender, hormonal imbalances and where you live. This is why Dr. Professor Christofer Toumazou invented Geneu Skincare, the world’s first over-the-counter bespoke skincare brand.

Dr Toumazou noted that our genes and lifestyle affect the aging process of our skin, so he invented a system that uses a saliva-swab DNA test and lifestyle survey to determine exactly what would work best on each of his client’s individual skins. Geneu tests for two key genes responsible for skin ageing.

His research showed that two serums working in concert with each other would be the best way forward: the first is the Genotype AOX serum, which is designed to enhance your natural antioxidant levels, and the second is the Genotype COL serum, designed to support your natural collagen levels, leading to the appearance of healthier looking skin.

Oh, and don’t fret that your DNA may be used to make a clone of you or something – as standard practice, Geneu never stores their clients’ genetic information, and your saliva sample is securely disposed of as anonymous clinical waste and incinerated after the DNA test.

A few weeks ago, I took the tests myself at Selfridges in London. Several days later, I received a skin profile overview in my inbox and a beautiful package on my doormat. Inside, I found a futuristic black flask, and two unique serums formulated for my skin and my skin alone. The packaging is truly remarkable, and it’s eco-friendly, too: an innovative outer dispenser allows your two prescribed serum cartridges to be easily inserted and replaced after two-three weeks of usage. This would make a wonderful, personal gift, and each dispenser can be personalised in the colour of your choice (white, black or gunmetal grey), with your name engraved on it, too.

Of course I was dying to try the products out, and the first things I noticed were the light texture of both serums, and their lack of fragrance. This made me really happy – I often get redness from skin creams and serums, and I’ve noticed that the more ‘parfum’ in the product, the worse it is. These gave me none.

Geneu is mainly an anti-ageing system, which promises to:

Maintain smooth, plump and youthful appearance of skin

Reduce the formation of fine lines and wrinkles

Visually prolong your skin’s natural youth and radiance

Optimise your skin’s health through hydrating benefits

As I’m under 30, I’ve not yet got many wrinkles, but I am starting to worry about maintaining my skin properly to avoid them, so Geneu can help me out with that. In summer, my skin tends to gets a bit oily and in winter, it gets dry. I was hoping after a few weeks this would change, and it did – my skin feels calmer and more stable, without the oily/dry fluctuations I’ve grown used to (and weary of!). My skin absorbs the serums almost immediately and there’s no sticky or greasy feeling at all.

But a few weeks isn’t enough to see full results: the brand recommends 12, and independent research done by the Imperial College London showed that within a test group of 86 participants (aged 31-65 years of age), DNA prescribed skincare provided better results than off-the-shelf products. Further results demonstrated that 81% felt their skin’s appearance and overall texture improved (like mine!) and 77% saw a reduction in wrinkles, whilst 79% testified to better skin tone.

There can be little doubt that biotechnology will continue to play a strong role in improved beauty products, and I feel very lucky to have been able to have experienced the luxury and benefits of Geneu, a pioneer in this expanding field.

For more information, please click here. Note: from the 26th of September until the 9th of October, GENEU and London’s Selfridges join forces in the form of a GENEU pop-up at the iconic departments store. Customers can take the tests and will receive the results the same day.